Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1887-09-02
TRUST IN THE FATHER.
ExPLANATO NOTES BY REV. r..
S. M'ARTHUR. D. D.

Text of the Lesson, Matt. vi, 24-34
Golden Text, 1 Peter v, 7.
V. "a No man, etc,-It is important to
emphasize the idea that the service Is that of
a slave because this fact removes all ground
of doubt as to whether a man can really
serve two masters. A slave must give per-
feet obedience; if he had two masters his
service would be divided The aim here is to
enforce the duty of singleness of affection
toward God. Whatever claims our supreme
love is our master; no man can really be q
slave to two distinct masters or to two con-
flictng interests. He will hate, etc.-Hate
here, as often in Scripture, signifies to love
less; in this sense Jacob loved Rachel, but he
hated Leah; in this sense God says, Jacob
have loved, but Esau have l hated He
cannot serve God, etc.-He who gives his
heart to the world robs God; at the bottom
of every mans life we see that he has but one
controlling purpose, one dominating aim.
Mammon.-This is an Aramaic word; it is
applied to wealth or riches, but originally it
referred to trust or confidence; it is properly
used for wealth when it is ground of hope
or trust, Markx, "a Some have said that
it is the name of Syrian god which was an
object of worship, but this is extremely
of the lost spirits, and has thus done much to
give the idea that he was all object of wor-
ship by the Syrians, as Putus was in the
Greek mythology. Under this name riches
are personified and placed in opposition to
God. Christ was not opposed to earthly
wealth: the beggar Lazarus is represented in
paradise as being in the bosom of Abraham
the rich man. But Christ did oppose giving
wealth or anything else the place that belongs
to God alone.
V. 25. Therefore | say unto you.-This is
very emphatic. l, your authoritative
teacher. Take no thought etc.-The word
thought has changed its meaning since our
common version was made; both Bacon and
Shakespeare use it in the sense of undue
solicitude. The meaning here is, be not
anxiously careful. Christ does not mean to
rebuke industry and to put a premium on
incidence. Is not the life, etc.-Our great
teacher reasons from the greater to the less.
Shall not the giver of life also give appropri-
ate suppliesf Shall not the creator of the
body clothe and support it9 Certainly life is
more than food. The interrogation here is a
strong form of affirmation.
V. 90. Behold the fowls of the Arrive
now come to a passage of great literary
beauty; it has received the hearty admiration
ually forceful as it is rhetorically beautiful.
Following the line of reasoning found in the
previous verse, Christ draws an argument
from Gods care for all his creatures. This
course of reasoning goes to the end of the
thrtieth verse.
In the twenty-siXth verse the argument
finds its confirmation in Gods supply of food
for fowls or birds. The word fowl we now
restrict to edible birds, but in old English the
word was applied to birds in general. Here
it stands for Greek word which means
winged or flying creatures. In Luke xii, "A,
we have the word ravens" Doubtless it is
intended here to include various kinds of
birds. Shall God feed them and not yous
Barns-literally, store houses; although birds
neither SOW nor reap, yet they build nests and
seek for food. They follow their instincts
So men are to do their duty, but they must
guard against undue anxiety.
V. 81. Which of you?-The question here
asked implies strong negation. The weak
ness and helplessness of man are here empha-
sized; on that account it becomes him as well
as the birds to trust God. Stature.-This
word in Greek primarily means age; its
secondary meaning is stature If we use the
word here in that sense the course Of reason
ing is this: you cannot add to your height;
you are ep'Hely uePeHieht upOh Oou LUZ
that; why then distrust your heavenly Father
about food! In John TX, 81, 90 the word is
used in speaking of the age Of the blind man,
and in Hebrews XII, IL, it is used of the age of
Sarah. Perhaps here it ought to be trans
lated age; cubit is the measure of the fore
arm from the elbow to the tip of the middle
finger, and, though variable quantity, is
usually regarded as eighteen inches. No
doubt one may add something to his height
by obedience to laws of health, but we are
disposed to think that the figure here is that
of life as journey; with that idea in mind
the addition of a cubit would be Insignificant,
would be that thing which is least" If then
we cannot do that which is least, why have
fretting care about that which is greater? 1t
is the part alike of wisdom and piety to trust
God fully.
V. 2S. Our Lord here passes from the food
of birds to the growth of the lilies; and the
argument increases in strength as he goes
from the animal to the vegetable creation.
Consider-i. e., regard attentively; this is an
intensive compound of the verb learn, learn